Control device

Abstract

A control device according to one embodiment includes a plurality of modules involved in the control of an external device to be controlled and connected to one another via a field bus. The modules include a controller module and a communication module. The controller module calculates control data related to the control of the modules, controls the modules based on the control data, acquires first information related to a failure of at least one of the device to be controlled and the modules, and transmits the acquired first information to a monitoring device via a first network. The communication module includes a memory capable of storing therein the control data and the first information, and transmits the control data and the first information stored in the memory to external devices including the monitoring device over a second network that is different from the first network, once in every predetermined time period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control device comprising a plurality of modules involved in control of an external device to be controlled and connected to one another via a field bus, wherein
 the modules include:
 a controller module that calculates control data related to control of the modules, that controls the modules based on the control data, that acquires first information related to a failure of at least one of the device to be controlled and the modules, and that transmits the acquired first information to a monitoring device via a first network; and 
 a communication module that includes a memory capable of storing therein the control data and the first information, and that transmits the control data and the first information stored in the memory to external devices including the monitoring device via a second network that is different from the first network, once in every predetermined time period. 
   
     
     
         2 . The control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a detecting unit that acquires the first information from each of the modules not via the field bus, and that writes the acquired first information to the memory.   
     
     
         3 . The control device according to  claim 2 , wherein the detecting unit acquires the first information from the modules not via the controller module. 
     
     
         4 . The control device according to  claim 3 , wherein the detecting unit accesses the memory via the field bus by controlling the controller module, detects a failure in the field bus and the memory based on whether the access has succeeded or failed, and acquires a result of detecting a failure in the field bus and the memory as the first information. 
     
     
         5 . The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the memory has a function of detecting an error in the first information stored in the memory, and correcting the error.